Romanticizing 3AM
by pkmntrashcan
Summary: COLLEGE AU - While studying Moon innocently observes that 3AM is indeed a strange time, while Gladion thinks otherwise. Things are only proven further as the two get into more 3AM shenanigans in their final year of college.
1. Studying at 3AM

"Isn't it kind of magical?," Moon asks with a dreamy sigh as her gaze leaves the library's window to look across the table towards her study buddy. The blonde didn't seem to hear her, his earbuds firmly in his ears loudly playing some jazz music. But as Moon continued to stare at him with a prominent pout another option seemed more plausible: he was actively ignoring her, which made sense given that they did have a final _tomorrow._ And he, unlike her, did not give into distractions - something Moon was known to either do, or to **_be_ **.

"Gladion," Moon says firmly, continuing to hope that her friend would look up to just acknowledge her presence, to hum nonchalantly, to roll his eyes at her, to do _something._ But alas all he did was continue to glance at his laptop and scribble in the nearby notebook.

Yeah, he was totally ignoring her and Moon wouldn't have that.

"Gladion, Gladion, Gladion, Gladion, Gladion-"

She could see his eyebrow twitch as she continued when suddenly he quickly looks up and sharply asks, "WHAT?" a little too loudly. Nearby students turn with scowls on their face to a look at the sudden outburst as Moon just smiles at all of them with a cheeky wave of her hand.

"Don't you think it's magical,?" she repeats in a whisper as she looks at Gladion with sparkling eyes. Gladion stares at her in utter confusion.

"What are you going on about, Moon?"

Moon gestures around the library and then towards the outside window-the campus illuminated only by the lampposts and the faint light from the moon behind the trees.

"3AM, silly!"

Her carefree declaration was something Gladion could not wrap his mind around. Here they were, supposed to be studying for their last final of the semester. A class that would either make or break their plans to graduate within four years-and all Moon could do was say something so incredibly random, so naively innocent-

"Like think about it Glads," Moon continues. "At 3AM people could be sleeping, clubbing, drinking, crying-"

"Or studying like we're supposed to," Gladion interrupts as his pen taps on Moon's unopened book. What has she been doing for the past 5 hours anyways? "Stop romanticizing hours of the day and get back to studying."

Moon scoffs at his logical approach to everything. "It's fine, sometimes being a complete nerd comes in handy. I got this!"

He rolls his eyes. "Moon, being a self-declared _nerd_ won't get you to pass anatomy tomorrow," he mutters, his focus going back to the notebook in front of him when he hears Moon whisper a quiet "hmm, really?" only to be followed by the sound of her chair scraping the linoleum floor.

His head snaps up to see what Moon could be up to now, but he's met with her leaning over the table between them, her face only centimeters apart from his. His eyes bounce around her bright features not knowing where to stare at as he feels the heat rise to his own cheeks.

Moon didn't seemed bothered at all as a coy smile makes it way onto her own face.

"We'll see about that."

* * *

From: Moon [9:12AM]

Grades are out~

From: Gladion~ [9:18AM]

87%, but for the love of Arceus please tell me you passed.

From: Moon [9:19AM]

Hmm, what's that? I can't hear you over my 98%!


	2. Partying at 3AM

Gladion didn't know what to blame for his visceral reaction as his phone thumps on his bed before he followed suit.

Was it that Moon proved him wrong? something that never sat well with him in his 24 years of life, or was it something else? Something that's been nagging in the back of his head for the past year? A nagging that turns into physical symptoms— increased heart rate, sweaty palms, a dry throat, a blank mind.

He blames Moon and how terribly close she was when she announced war.

He could remember the way her eyes sparkled with a competitive edge, her freckles shifting as the smile on her face replaced her inquisition.

A ding calls his attention back to his forlorn phone, a begrudging sigh leaving him as he reaches for it and holds his phone above his face. He hadn't replied for a few minutes so it couldn't possibly be Moon…

* * *

From Moon [9:24AM]

"Hey...so tangent...Hau's hosting a party tonight…"

His eyes narrow at the message, only to notice the three dots at the bottom of her messaging screen move then disappear...move then disappear...move then...

From Moon [9:24AM]

"And I know you hate being home for the holidays...so I wanted to see if you wanted to go with me?"

A smack and a groan are heard almost immediately. He didn't mean to drop the phone on his face— he didn't mean for a twisting feeling in his stomach to appear either and he for sure didn't mean to accidentally press the call button. Panic now overcoming him as the dial tone rang ominously counting down.

Parties. They weren't his thing . They were loud, crowded and—-

"Hello?"

He had to back out—- "Moon I'm not going."

"You could've texted me no, you know?" an airy laugh is heard through the receiver. His stomach flips involuntarily. "I know they're not your thing but I figured maybe you would want a change of pace…" He could already picture her nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders—-pretending to not care, but it was always attached to a smile with disappointed eyes.

"Nevermind, I'll go."

* * *

He shouldn't have come.

The world was on an axis, he felt his face flush, and coherent thoughts seemed to be lost before he could even speak. He wasn't happy per say, but a bubbling feeling made him feel warm and invincible: as if he could do or **say** anything with no repercussions. But as he gripped the edge of a kitchen countertop he knew everything he took in added up fast. But as he gripped the edge of a kitchen countertop he knew everything he took in added up fast.

It was was one...four...no nine shots. Several game wins and several more losses. Moon called him a lightweight and although he proved her wrong it didn't mean it made him less susceptible to the affects of alcohol. The spinning didn't stop as his head whips around—searching for the source of his problem

Moon didn't seem to fare any better than him, though. Her face tinted red, and her infectious giggles filling the room as she passes around hugs like candy. And although it was obvious the shorter girl was past tipsy, he knew that she was happy, unlike him.

He scowls when he watches her arms wrap around the host, Hau, in an all too close and tight manner. The nearby guys giving Hau a thumbs up and cocky grins. Something in their actions irking him and his previous mood sullens almost immediately as he feels the cup in his hand give in to his clenching. He rolls his eyes before throwing back the remainder of his drink and walking off to another corner of the party—completely unaware of Moon glancing back at him from across the room.

* * *

Out on the patio Gladion finds himself sitting on the porch. The cool air hitting his warm cheeks attempted to bring him out of his hazy reverie, but he was too far gone. The music inside was muffled, his stomach was twisting, and his sour mood seemed to scare off the few others that were outside. It didn't take long for the music to leak out as the porch door slid open and shut before footsteps approached him.

"Gladion, why did you leave the party?"

The undeniable voice of Moon now behind him. There was no apprehension seen in her features as he glares up at her, her own balance seemingly off as she plops down next to him in a less than graceful manner.

"Arceus how much did you drink, Moon?" He asks as Moon sticks out her hand to begin counting out loud.

"I—" she pouts staring at her 4 held up fingers. "Like 8?"

He shakes his head, he couldn't judge, if anything he was worse off than her and at the very least the two of them didn't have access to any drinks outside. "Why are you even here?" he snaps only to have Moon giggle in response.

"I saw pants storm off."

Gladion scoffs. The two of them hadn't even crossed paths after coming to the party together. "You were busy with your friends. Didn't want to bother." Gladion winces at the undeniable bitterness in his tone as soon as the words left his lips, but his brain wasn't in a place to filter out his emotions.

Moon laughs immediately, "we'll don't...you sound jealous."

"I am not jealous!" Gladion defends rather loudly as Moon's smile grows tenfold, prompting a more passionate defense. "What would I be jealous about? You having friends? A life? A welcoming aura?"

"I don't know, Gladion! You tell me!"

"It's not like I'm jealous about you going around hugging all these guys. And it's not like I want you to give me that attention instead!" Gladion says all of this rather proudly, only for his brain to catch up to his mouth, and by then it was too late as he sees Moon's eyes widen.

"You're jealous...cause you want me to…"

"I just said I'm not," he interrupts.

She scoffs, disbelief heard in the action before she pokes her finger into his cheek."Clearly you are!" Moon says defensively, fighting the slurs that wanted to escape as she tries to look at him in complete seriousness. Gladion could tell she couldn't hold her focus for long, her face turning a brighter shade of red as they both noted she was indeed too close for comfort.

"You've been acting weird since our study date," she whispers, her face even closer as she her eyes beg for a proper reply—a reason to his madness.

"That wasn't a date."

"What if I wanted it to be?"

Gladion in stunned silence was unable to process. Moon dejectedly sighs, her hand staying on his face, although he could feel her fingers trembling, hear her swallowing slowly, and see her eyes glancing down before looking into his eyes once more before she closes the gap between them.

Her lips softly land on the corner of his mouth, unmoving, hesitant. It didn't last more than a second, but Gladion felt all time stand still until he no longer felt Moon's hand and suddenly sees her much farther away.

"It's 3," she murmurs sadly, glancing down at her phone. "I'm going to get someone to help me call a car home." She stands, wobbling in the process and as Gladion shifts to try to help her she shakes her head, rejecting his help.

"Get home safely."

* * *

There was a reason Gladion hated parties: the consequences. The piercing headaches, the dehydration, the queasy stomach.

A quiet ding prompts him to open his eyes, wincing at the sunlight leaking through his window, to reach for his phone.

From Moon [12:32PM]

"I know you're going to get mad at me for ' _not being responsible_ ' but do you remember what happened last night?"

He needed to add foggy memories to the list.

Foggy memories he didn't want to bring up.

From Gladion [12:33PM]

"No."


	3. Confessions at 3AM

Over breaks it was typical to fall out of contact.

People would go on vacation, be with family, spend some time reflecting-it was all to be expected, but most people were able to bounce back at the new semester.

New classes, new schedules, new adventures to have with friends.

Gladion, however, didn't follow standard protocol, because the distance created over a break for him, in particular, lasted 5 months.

And it was all his fault.

His phone continued to hover over Moon's messages. All unresponded to. All marked as 'read'. His own mind trying to not relive the moment they fought, the moment Moon had commented, the second her lips separated from his face and she said her farewells.

His last message?

Sun, Dec. 19,12:33PM

"No."

From that day.

Hers?

Wed, Jun. 12, 10:37PM

"Gladion...we're about to graduate can you please just talk to me?"

Read. From last night.

Nothing would beat an argument where no words were exchanged at all.

At first she sent a message every day, as if trying to justify his lack of communication. But the questions turned into pleas and soon into scorn, and frustration seeped through every word, comma, and period she typed out.

Daily turned to weekly, weekly turned to monthly.

Every message an apology, she thought it was her fault. She connected enough dots to remember what happened that night. She called him out. She kissed him. She apologized some more.

The messages a feeble attempt in hopes that he one day would respond was just that, an attempt-a failed one at that.

And now they were at the end of the year and he was receiving his third message from Moon in the month-let alone during the week of finals. Desperation evident, urgency undeniable. They would never cross paths again once they crossed the graduation stage on Friday.

Moon didn't want to end with miscommunication but that's all he could bring.

Miscommunication.

Unsaid words.

Rejected feelings.

Regrets.

He flips his phone over as all hopes of studying drain out of him. A quick glance at his watch-

3AM.

Of course.

With a sigh and a quick gathering of things, Gladion accepted his fate. Staying up later wouldn't help the concepts stick in his mind anyways.

The final was today.

Graduation now the next day.

A calm walk through the empty library, the exit approaching, and a familiar head of black hair that catches his eye.

Moon.

She had her headphones in, her eyes people watching during her favorite time to overanalyze, like usual.

But his mind halts.

Could he even say it was usual when a few months ago he would be seated right in front of her? Scoffing at her lack of focus? Smiling at her nonsensical quips? Because instead of that she was alone, looking tired. Her hair had gotten longer, a sign of time passing, but the closed laptop served as a reminder that Moon was never actually good at studying.

Gladion watches for a second too long, awestruck and longing. His heart painfully clenches; months of shame bubbling up in his throat. He swallows thickly, her name going down like the burden he didn't want to place on her. The heavy feeling of forgetting how to breathe suffocating him when he sees her head turn.

And it was like exhaustion had all but faded away from her. From him.

Her body shoots up-the chair scraping uncomfortably on the waxed floors- her eyes sparkling, not from the fluorescents, but from the tears now spilling onto her cheeks as she ran to him.

Her body flings into his as Gladion tries to keep his balance; his own hands unsure of where to go when he feels her arms wrap around him tightly, unrelentlessly, almost as if he would disappear if she was to let go.

And as his heart begins to pick up in speed, he realizes he doesn't know what to say.

How are you?

Have you slept?

Have you eaten?

I missed you.

I love you.

"I'm sorry," is what Gladion settles on, his own voice catching in his throat. Moon's tears soaking through his shirt, her fingers clawing at him desperately, his hands now apprehensively landing on her back as he feels her trembling.

And then he hears a small murmur. A mumble. Her words undecipherable as she speaks into his chest through broken sobs. His own heart shattering, he caused this. He hurt her.

All because he was too afraid to admit his feelings. To be vulnerable. To tell her he **was** jealous out of fear of what that would mean for them.

"Moon," Gladion whispers even softer this time even though the library was already silent. The empty and abandoned state of the space by the last day only making their reunion all the more real. He repeats her name once more, his hands gently trying to pry her off, her face not moving to meet his as she sniffles, hiccups. Her hands quickly trying to wipe away the tears that wouldn't stop falling when he finally hears her say;

"I hate you."

She didn't mean it.

"Why didn't you answer?"

She pleads .

"I'm sorry, Moon," he repeats forcing her to look up at him with brimming eyes and tear stained cheeks. "I-I was scared…" he confesses, Moon's eyes registering his words almost immediately. His eyes look to the ground, then behind her, and then finally on her, filled with remorse as he adds, "scared to admit how I actually felt…"

And it's Moon tiny "why" that makes him rack his brain. One of his hands lifting to gently caress her face, to wipe away the tears that hung precariously on her lashes.

"Scared to ruin what we had."

And for the first time in months he hears Moon scoff, the breathy noise, the roll of her eyes-almost as if nothing had changed.

"I literally told you I liked you!"

And then he chuckles, as if he hadn't jeopardized everything.

"Yeah, well I'm an idiot."

And Moon grins at him, her smile saying words that really weren't needed.

That yes he was, **very much** , an idiot-but that she wouldn't have him any other way.

"I don't forgive you," she jokes, her arms snaking around him again, her presence filling the void he have had missing for months, "and now I'm going to fail my final."

"Moon, you weren't even studying," he melts into the embrace.

"Well, 3AM isn't for studying, anyways."

And that's when Gladion pauses to peer down at Moon. She senses his shift, looks up, her gray eyes look staring at him curiously. His heart only continuing to race as his mind finally tries to keep up.

It was 3AM. Exhaustion was imminent, but because of her it no longer seemed like a time for sleep.

It was a time for reflection, vulnerability, honesty.

"You did say it was for confessions once right?"

And before Moon could even grasp what he was suggesting, Gladion leans forward to place his lips on hers.

A small gasp, lips tugging into a smile, a soft reciprocation.

"Told you anything could happen."


End file.
